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*The Healing* 4/29/02 __________________________ If you enjoy this free daily email service, I encourage you to spread the word to family and friends that we may bring inspiration into the lives of many! If you are not on the list and this has been passed along to you, join the thousands of HeartTouchers.com readers around the world by sending an e-mail with the word "Subscribe" in the subject line to: HeartTouchers@aol.com Visit our inspirational web site and read all the past stories in our archives at: http://www.HeartTouchers.com ____________________________________________ Are you looking for the perfect gift to give for Mother's Day, Father's Day, or Graduation? Then check out Michael's Video Production business: Video Imagery! You can transfer your photos over to videotape, or even DVD, all set to music that will make your images come alive! The cost is only $1 per photo, which means no matter what your budget is, you can give the most meaningful gift you have ever given because you determine how many photos you transfer, and therefore, how much you spend! Want to make Mom, Dad, or your favorite graduating senior cry happy tears? Then check out all Michael has to offer at the following web site: http://www.hearttouchers.com/video_imagery/ AOL Users click here: Video Imagery "I thought of you first after my family sat down to watch the video we gave them. They loved it, to say the least! Within thirty seconds my mom was crying and my dad did too. They said it was the best gift we could have given them!! You did such a beautiful job! They were so surprised and so touched--they really, really, really loved it. Thanks for helping to make it so special to us all. My mom mentioned how the songs were perfect for the video too! Thanks again!" Kelli-- College Station, TX _________________________________________ We start off another week of touching stories with one of our favorite writers: Irene Budzynski! Be sure to write to her and let her know how her story touched your heart today. If you missed the interview we did with Irene, you can still read it on our web site. We give the link at the end of her story... From my family to yours, Michael _________________________________________ THE HEALING By Irene Budzynski, R.N. Maria's arrest record for prostitution was her claim to fame. She had been a "frequent flyer", in and out of the hospital for drug addiction-related maladies, so this admission would probably be no different from the previous ones. She would be hydrated and medicated and followed by the medical residents, then sent on her way until the next visit. How little did I know what was planned for both of us. My usual routine is to get nursing report, then make a quick check on each of my patients before mixing the medications needed for the night shift. I call it my "drive-by", introducing myself, locking bed brakes, sniffing out potential problems which could rapidly snowball into a crisis. Making a mental note of each patient's needs helps me prioritize the care to be given, so the initial assessment is invaluable. Assuming Maria's stay would be the same as it always was, and knowing she was familiar with the routine, I breezed into her room with the intent of an exchange of smiles and handwaves. Rounding the corner of the curtain separating the two beds, I found a very different Maria from the ebullient woman I had known. In place of a bold, laughing chatterbox was a somber, pale figure lying quietly in the darkness on the unrelenting hardness of the plastic hospital mattress. A wan smile replaced the usual hearty greeting, and my senses immediately went into full alert. Was she in pain? There was certainly something ordered to give her relief. I knelt by her bed and questioned her. Oh, yes, she was in pain, but not the kind most of us know. She told me that her newly diagnosed cancer was a fast-moving type for which there was no cure. Her pain was in her soul. When my care for the other patients was complete, Maria's room was where I could be found, listening to her tale of countless men and drugs which took her away from ugly reality. Her children had been taken away from her, but, oh, how she loved them. She said she was "no good", and they deserved someone who could care for them, but not a day passed that she didn't miss them. Now she was approaching the end of life on earth and was turning to face the demons of her past. How ashamed she felt! Her sorrow was seemingly insurmountable as she repeatedly told me what an awful person she had been. I allowed her to talk herself to sleep, and prayed for the wisdom to know what to say. This pain was more excruciating than any I had ever encountered. What could I say that would be of any help? I didn't want to be an empty talking box, reciting platitudes which meant nothing. I carried the vivid memory of her anguish home with me, and after a few hours sleep, searched through my collection of spiritual readings, and found exactly what I needed. Returning to the hospital, I gave her a poem about Jesus forgiving Mary Magdalen, and I spoke about God's unconditional love for her, Maria. Unrehearsed words crossed my lips in an endless procession, and I passionately poured out my heart. She read the poem. Once. Twice. Again. Then, the tears trickled down her cheeks and she reached up and hugged me with the tightest squeeze she could muster. "This is me in the poem. My mother has been telling me about Jesus for so many years, but I wouldn't listen. Now, you are telling me the same thing. He loves me no matter what I did? So, it must be true. I have to find out more about Him." Speechless, I returned the hug. When I checked her later, she was sleeping with the poem tightly clutched in her hand. My assignment was changed for the rest of the week, and we didn't have the chance for any more talks. I did put a Bible on her bedside table while she napped, and on the day of her discharge, I stopped at her room to say good-bye. She was sitting up against a bank of pillows, Bible open in her hands, peacefully absorbed in the printed text. She flashed a smile when I walked in. "You gave this to me, didn't you? I just know it was you! You'll never know what it means to me." She was going home to live with her mother for her remaining time and to make amends with her children. I never saw Maria again. My part in her life was fleeting, and certainly was not in the official nursing care plan, but I was reminded once again that the Great Physician uses all of us to do His work, even in the middle of the night. Irene Budzynski, R.N. irene_budd@yahoo.com Write Irene and let her know your thoughts on her story! _________________________________________ Irene and her husband of 33 years live in New England where they raised three sons. Her work has appeared in HeartTouchers, Heartwarmers, and various online websites. "Night Shift" was featured on Nightsounds Radio; "More than a Paycheck" will be included in the next Heartwarmers book; and two of her stories were semifinalists for Chicken Soup for the Soul books. Her last project was to assist her 85 year old author friend (who has been writing for over 50 years) to self-publish a book. "What a testing of patience!" If you missed the author interview we did with Irene you can read it at: http://www.HeartTouchers.com/Irene_Budzynski *** The copyrights to the stories that appear in HeartTouchers.com are owned by the authors and are used with their permission. We refuse to run stories without the author's permission and contact info listed after the story. We also refuse to publish stories listed as "author unknown." (All of which violates Copyright Law and the rights of the authors.) This e-mail may be forwarded in its entirety, but it is expressly prohibited to cut and paste the stories from here to be used elsewhere unless you have contacted and been given permission by the individual writer. Thank you so much for honoring the rights of those writers who graciously share their stories with us! _________________________________________ Can't get enough inspirational stories in your life? Would you like to send a unique gift to your friends and family? Then order a personalized autographed copy of the inspirational book: Straight From the Heart "A Celebration of Life" by Michael T. Powers for only $13.95. And best of all, we'll pay the shipping! Michael is an award winning writer whose stories have appeared in numerous newspapers and magazines around the world and in the following books: Chicken Soup for the Sports Fan's Soul, Chicken Soup for the Grandparent's Soul, Chicken Soup for the Romantic's Soul, Stories For the Extreme Teen's Heart, Stories For the Extreme Teen's Heart 2, Stories for the Teen's Heart 2, Heartwarmers, God Allows U-Turns Volumes 1, 3, and 4, Creating Emotionally Safe Schools, and in the upcoming books: Don't Sweat the Small Stuff Story Collection and The Miracle of Boys. He has signed several contracts for future Chicken Soup and other inspirational books. Still not convinced? You can preview his book by visiting: http://www.HeartTouchers.com/michael_powers AOL Users click here! To order your autographed copy have a check or money order for $13.95 for each book made out to Michael T. Powers, and then send it to: Michael T. Powers 1918 Liberty Lane Janesville, WI 53545 (Please allow about 2 weeks for delivery.) _________________________________________ Thought For The Day: "The most untutored person with passion is more persuasive than the most eloquent without." (Francious de le Rochefoucauld) Verse for the Day: "For I know your eagerness to help...your enthusiasm has stirred most of them to action." 2 Corinthians 9:2 Kid's Thought For The Day: "It's possible to feel full when it comes to more vegetables, but not full when it comes to a piece of cake." Parent's Thought For The Day "There are two great injustices that can befall a child. One is to punish him for something he didn't do. The other is to let him get away with something he knows is wrong." (Robert Gardner) Coach's Thought For The Day "Whining isn't everything." Writer's Thought For the Day: "Writing a book is like rearing children -- willpower has very little to do with it. If you have a little baby crying in the middle of the night, and if you depend only on willpower to get you out of bed to feed the baby, that baby will starve. You do it out of love." --Annie Dillard Deep Thought For The Day: "A woman's place is in the House... or the Senate." ___________________________________________ REQUESTS: I would like to ask all of you to pray for a family that Kristi and I know...More specifically for their father. As we have come to know this family the past 4-5 months, they have taken special residence in our heart. Kristi and I have worked with a number of youth over the past 16 years, but we have never come across two kids who love and admire their father more than these two do. Their father has dealt with a number of serious health problems including a major heart attack, a major car accident where he sustained serious injuries, and he has been dealing with a number of illnesses and diseases that have words that are so long I won't even try to type them out here. One of his kids told me recently that in his 13 years of life, he has never known his father to have a day without pain. But they also told me that he wakes up every day with a smile on his face and a great attitude that has taught his children a great deal about how to face trials and pain. So I am asking if you will pray for this great and admirable man, that God would heal him of all he is dealing with and free him from the pain. His 8th grade son recently prayed these words: "Dear Lord, I am asking that you please take away the pain that my father deals with on a daily basis... even if for just one day, so that he might spend just one day without pain." Please lift this family up in prayer.... Thanks, Michael and Kristi Powers ___________________________________________ _ /_/\/\ MICHAEL T. POWERS \_\ / HeartTouchers@aol.com /_/ \ "For I have been crucified with Christ and I no \_\/\ \ longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I \_\/ live in the body I live for the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me." Galatians 2:20 ___________________________________________ The copyrights to the stories that appear in HeartTouchers.com are owned by the authors and are used with their permission. We refuse to run stories without the author's permission and contact info listed after the story. We also refuse to publish stories listed as "author unknown." (All of which violates Copyright Law and the rights of the authors.) This e-mail may be forwarded in its entirety, but please do not cut and paste the stories to be used elsewhere unless you have contacted and been given permission by the individual writer. Thank you so much for honoring the rights of those writers who graciously share their stories with us! ___________________________________________ Would you like to see your story in HeartTouchers.com? Writer's guidelines can be found on our Web site here: http://www.HeartTouchers.com/guidelines/ AOL Users click here: Writer's Guidelines ___________________________________________ SUBSCRIBE: "I need a daily source of inspiration and encouragement in my life!" To become a HeartTouchers.com Member send an e-mail with "Subscribe" in the subject line to: HeartTouchers@AOL.COM Then get ready to laugh, cry, and be deeply touched by some of the best stories on the Internet! __________________________________________ UNSUBSCRIBE: All you have to do is send an e-mail with the word "Unsubscribe" in the subject line to: HeartTouchers@aol.com Give it a day or two to be processed... __________________________________________ Do you feel as if life has no meaning for you? http://www.greatcom.org/english/four.htm AOL Users click here: The Four Spiritual Laws __________________________________________ |
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Touching Lives - One E-mail at a Time! Author Michael T. Powers - HeartTouchers @ aol.com
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